Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oyster Bay, NY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Oyster Bay, NY: $2,743 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Oyster Bay, NY
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Oyster Bay, NY Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Oyster Bay, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,743

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oyster Bay, NY and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oyster Bay, NY and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,743 per month in Oyster Bay, NY vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Oyster Bay, NY $2,743
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,068 per month in Oyster Bay, NY vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Oyster Bay, NY $4,068
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,394 per month in Oyster Bay, NY vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Oyster Bay, NY $5,394
Chicago, IL $6,115

Oyster Bay, NY is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Oyster Bay, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Oyster Bay, NY by 102%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$20.65 $20.65

22.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$90.2 $90.2

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$12.94 $12.94

1.16%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$5.60 $5.60

-0.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.64 $2.64

-19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.27 $2.27

-32.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.21 $9.21

$6.98 $6.98

31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$8.83 $8.83

-8.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.27 $1.27

3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.80 $3.80

11.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.30 $5.30

11.13%

Eggs

$5.92 $5.92

$4.76 $4.76

24.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$13.96 $13.96

-0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 $10.37

$14.61 $14.61

-29.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.57 $19.57

$18.77 $18.77

4.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.19 $5.19

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.98 $1.98

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.93 $3.93

5.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.96 $4.96

6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.76 $2.76

13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.76 $2.76

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.22 $2.22

27.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.98 $2.98

-1.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.75 $11.75

$14.02 $14.02

-16.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$15.28 $15.28

-3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.58 $2.58

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.50 $3.50

-0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.47 $2.47

-17.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.34 $3.34

-11.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.43 $1.43

44.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.42 $24.42

$24.32 $24.32

0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.26 $1.26

-11.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$210 $210

$193 $193

8.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$68.3 $68.3

11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$61.3 $61.3

7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 $41.68

$54.1 $54.1

-22.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 $15.06

$17.74 $17.74

-15.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,027 $2,027

$1,652 $1,652

22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-49.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.56 $49.56

$66.1 $66.1

-24.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 $57.7

$51.2 $51.2

12.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$100 $100

-14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$141 $141

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$2,446 $2,446

-35.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 $1,317

$1,678 $1,678

-21.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,528 $2,528

$4,717 $4,717

-46.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 $2,128

$2,795 $2,795

-23.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 $2,637

$4,105 $4,105

-35.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,351 $2,351

$2,650 $2,650

-11.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,123 $7,123

$4,866 $4,866

46.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.81

-0.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Oyster Bay, NY: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Oyster Bay, NY

$1.3K 48%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27.4% $361

Groceries & Markets

Oyster Bay, NY

$443 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 1.5% $6.7

Eating Out

Oyster Bay, NY

$385 14%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 10.8% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Oyster Bay, NY

$351 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 8.3% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Oyster Bay, NY

$154 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 4.9% $7.6

Sport & Entertainment

Oyster Bay, NY

$72 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 24.8% $18

Getting Around

Oyster Bay, NY

$22 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 343% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,587 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Oyster Bay, NY, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $443 in Oyster Bay, NY vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Oyster Bay, NY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Oyster Bay, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:25 8:25 AM

07:25 7:25 AM

1 h behind Oyster Bay, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

301,332

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Oyster Bay, NY Chicago, IL 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Oyster Bay, NY
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Oyster Bay, NY vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,743 in Oyster Bay, NY, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,114 per month in Oyster Bay, NY and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oyster Bay, NY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Oyster Bay, NY and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,743 in Oyster Bay, NY and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,743 in Oyster Bay, NY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Oyster Bay, NY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.